ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- As if hospital stays weren't stressful enough, COVID-19 has ushered in new reasons for patients and their loved ones to have concerns, especially about visitor restrictions.
Spectrum Bay News 9's Sarah Blazonis spoke with a patient advocacy organization about how you can support your loved one even if you can't be there.
What You Need To Know
- COVID-19 has brought in new concerns for patients and their loved ones
- One patient advocacy organization has tips on how to support a loved one when you can' t be there
- #1 is to make sure the patient has a phone -- and use it.
- Continue to call your loved one and their doctor about patient care
L.D. Smith said his mother was hospitalized at Bayfront St. Petersburg after a car crash last month. He said the collision was just the beginning of his family's traumatic experience.
"The term 'emotional rollercoaster' is definitely somthing that I would have to use," Smith said.
Smith lives out of state and he said local family couldn't visit because of COVID-19 restrictions. According to Smith, his mother complained of not being showered for three days after surgery and feeling bullied by staff.
He said his mother told his sister on one phone call she'd woken up in her own waste after laying in it for hours.
"As advocates on the phone, me and my siblings dealt with hang-ups. We dealt with individuals who wouldn't name themselves," Smith explained.
So how can you advocate for your loved one and make sure they're receiving the best possible care?
Patient advocates say to use your phone to talk to loved ones and their doctors about care.
"Your absolute best tool is your phone. So make sure that the patient not only has their phone, but their charger," Caitlin Donovan, National Patient Advocate Foundation Sr. Director, said.
Every hospital has a patient advocate or social worker who can guide families through a hospital stay.
Reach out, and if you can't get in touch, keep calling.
"I think it's important to understand that hospitals are under a lot of stress right now, and there are a lot of very concerned patients, but I would hope than no hospital would avoid a caretaker's call," Donovan explained.
Smith said his mother was discharged after a week. She's still in pain, but improving.
"We're thankful for the things that Bayfront did do correct," Smith expressed. "But again, the bad easily outweighed the good."
A spokesperson for Bayfront said they were unable to comment on this story due to federal privacy guidelines. She did say though that patient feedback and concerns are taken seriously and addressed swiftly by leadership.
Anyone with feedback is encouraged to call the hospital directly or use the "contact" feature on their website.
Sign up now for one of our newsletters that will show up in your inbox every weekday at 1 p.m. The newsletters highlight the most important stories of the day that you need to know for your area.